print illustrated v1-3 | Fujifilm

Volume 1 Issue 3 Fall, 2017

ENTRY POINTS DEFINING PRINT’S ROLE IN THE CUSTOMER’S JOURNEY

INSIDE NEXT GENERATION PRINTERS INNOVATING OUT OF CRISIS

print

VOL. 1, ISSUE 3 n FALL 2017

illustrated

IN THIS ISSUE 01 STAYING RELEVANT

06

A letter from Todd Zimmerman

06 DIGITALLY ON

J Press 720S proves to be the right solution for Yorke Printe Shoppe

08 RISING TIDE

The next generation of printers

12 THE SWITCH

Why transitioning to Fujifilm’s Flenex water-wash plate technology is paying big dividends for today’s printers

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14 IN FOR THE LONG RUN

SUPERIA ZD is optimized for improved run length, especially in UV ink applications

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ENTRY POINTS DEFINING PRINT’S ROLE IN THE CUSTOMER’S JOURNEY

SIGN-UP FOR YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO PRINT ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE! www.PrintIllustrated.com

16 SURVEY SAYS

A Fujifilm survey shows printers plan to invest in new solutions and services

18 VERSATILE HERO

The Inca SpyderX UV press offers the ultimate in all-around performance and flexibility

20 INNOVATING OUT OF CRISIS

An inside look at how Shigetaka Komori helped steer Fujifilm through an industry disruption that nearly left the entire company in its wake

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STAYING RELEVANT A LETTER FROM TODD ZIMMERMAN

If you’re delighted with the status quo and remarkably content with the present, you’ll probably find yourself in the minority. Our industry is changing at an ever increasing pace, and although we’d like to stick with the status quo, we realize that changing and adapting to the new realities of our marketplace is essential for our future success.

Simply put, we must stay current to be relevant.

Let’s face it, there are more ways to reach customers than ever before. Digital communications, be it email, websites, blogs or social media, are all ways to convey messages. And each competes with print. For print to be selected as the preferred method of communication, it must be more relevant than alternative digital communications. It must stand out and get noticed. It must break through in ways that digital can’t.

We’d like to think our new inkjet innovations can be the best weapon in a printer’s arsenal in this age of technological saturation and overwhelming digital messaging.

Innovations that make it possible to create more personalized communications, more cost effective to print short runs, and more efficient to print multiple versions.

Innovations that make print more engaging,

with greater relevance to the reader.

While it’s hard to continually adapt to change, it’s the only way we can stay relevant. And the changes keep coming at us. Like you, we need to adapt and respond to stay relevant.

Fujifilm has innovated where others might have stayed with the status quo and been reluctant to change. We’ve provided insights on how much we have changed in the “Innovating Out of Crisis” article that summarizes the challenges Fujifilm faced early in 2000. Our Chairman, Mr. Shigetaka Komori, realized that our heritage in film was not going to define our future, and we needed to adapt to digital printing technologies in order to stay relevant. We want to encourage our clients to do the same.

In our cover story, “Entry Points – Defining Print’s Role in the Customer’s Journey,” we show

YOU ASK. WE ANSWER. A bit bold to think we can answer any question you throw at us, but chances are we either know the answer or can find the answer. I say that because one of the defining and differentiating values of working with Fujifilm is the knowledge and experience of our people.

We have a legacy of providing traditional print technologies like offset, screen, and flexo, and are also on the leading edge of new print technologies like digital toner, inkjet and hybrid systems. So there’s a high probability that if you are facing a problem or a challenge, our people have had previous experience dealing with it and resolving it. It’s part of our heritage, it’s what makes us different, and it’s the core of our value proposition to our customers.

So, in a world where print needs to be relevant to add value, and you strive to keep relevant, take advantage of the knowledge and experience of our team. Challenge us with problems or areas you want to improve within your operation. Ask us about opportunities to increase your capabilities or expand into new market areas. Ultimately our value to you is based on our ability to provide you with the relevant information you need.

Ask away.

how ink on paper can be a very “out of the box” way to engage.

In our second feature, “Rising Tide – The Next Generation of Printers,” we delve into how the next generation can embrace the opportunities emerging from digital printing and the new climate.

We want to inspire new ways to think differently, and in the process, establish new ways to make print more relevant.

Enjoy this issue.

Warmest wishes,

TODD ZIMMERMAN Division President, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division Corporate Vice President, FUJIFILM Global Graphic Systems

William Rongey EDITOR-IN-CHIEF wrongey@fujifilm.com print illustrated is published quarterly

by FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division Copyright 2017 All rights reserved

Press Komori LS 840

Plates Fujifilm SUPERIA LH-PL thermal plates

Screening Fujifilm Co-Res Screening

Coating/Varnish Outside covers: Soft Touch and Rubber Coatings UV Gloss and Dull Varnishes Inside covers and body: Satin AQ Coating

Inks UV Chrome Silver and UV 4/c process

BRENT MONCRIEF VP Strategic Marketing & Brand Management, the Americas FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division

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POINTS

Defining print’s role in the customer’s journey

UNICEF’s Snowflake Ball

is one of the organization’s most highly anticipated fundraisers of the year. Located in the heart of New York City, the ball is a call to arms to help save and improve children’s lives by raising money to provide healthcare and immunizations, clean water, sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. Over the past 12 years, the ball has raised millions of dollars to support the organization’s efforts on those fronts in more than 190 countries and territories.

WITH THE PHYSICAL

NATURE OF PRINT, YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE CAN LITERALLY HOLD YOUR MARKETING MATERIAL IN THEIR HANDS, FEELING THE PAPER AND READING YOUR MESSAGE.” – MATT COTÉ Director of Business Development, Ballantine

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At another UNICEF event – the Chinese New Year’s Soiree – the Chinese Children’s Initiative helps raise money to aid millions of children who not only lack the most basic resources, but are vulnerable to trafficking, neglect, abuse and exploitation.

In these events and scores of others UNICEF holds, one of the most critical goals, other than money, is to find points of entry for potential allies. What are the best ways to get people interested in embracing the organization’s mission?

Justin Ahrens has seen the power of UNICEF’s efforts firsthand. His firm, Rule29, has been one of the organization’s many marketing allies.

For example, for the Chinese New Year’s Soiree, Rule29 created the paper invitation, HTML email invitation and website. In addition, it helped establish the look and feel of the event. Each component played a vital role in creating those entry points, none more important than print.

Take the Snowflake Ball. At the heart of the promotional materials was the Inspired Gift Cards – a set of cards that offer a series of donation options, ranging from mosquito netting to “school-in-a-box” kits that help children keep up with their education. The Inspired Gift Honey Comb icon, card trays included, feature full-bleed beautiful imagery, as well as the recognizable UNICEF blue.

“Print is an irreplaceable, tangible experience that is uniquely it’s own,” Ahrens says. “We look at it as a part of the brand storytelling experience. It could be in the packaging experience, direct mail, environmental, and more. Print lives outside, or in tandem, with the digital world. It has a dimension that can be experienced by holding, touching and interacting with

GETTING PERSONAL When Matt Coté talks about the power of print, he stresses the important role it plays in helping brands have direct communication with their target audience.

“Print has never gone away,” says Coté, director of business development for the family owned and operated, print and digital marketing company Ballantine. “It offers benefits that digital cannot offer in the physical aspect of marketing. It doesn’t replace digital; it works with it as another touch point.”

International Orthodox Christian Chari-

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ties (IOCC) is a four-star rated charity based in Baltimore that provides emergency relief and development to families and communities around the world. In an effort to build its wealth of resources, IOCC turned to Ballantine for help in its fundraising efforts.

Working with the non-profit since 2013, Ballantine has produced a series of highly effective direct mail packages, newsletters and booklets. In one campaign, Ballantine produced a #10 envelope package that included an appeal letter with a tear off

“PRINT IS AN IRREPLACEABLE, TANGIBLE EXPERIENCE THAT IS UNIQUELY ITS OWN. IT’S PHYSICAL, AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE PLUGGED IN OR CHARGED. IT’S READY TO INTERACT WHENEVER YOU ARE.” – JUSTIN AHRENS Founder, Rule29

it. It’s physical, and does not need to be plugged in or charged. It’s ready to interact whenever you are.”

Ahrens says the power of print continues to strengthen its hold in today’s digital landscape. “Print has its own experience and interaction.”

STORYTELLING 3.0 This much marketers know – the perfect channel doesn’t exist anymore. The way people use technology changes constantly, so giving them options is critical.

You want statistics; we have statistics.

According to the Pew Research Center, more than 30 percent of the world’s popu-

reply card, a business return envelope and a high quality full color bookmark.

The letter contained an emotional story focused on a Syrian refugee. The letter also connected the recipient to the bookmark, which provided a useful, tangible product that could act as a future touch point to remind them of IOCC’s mission.

After mailing 27,000 pieces, IOCC posted a 6.26 percent response rate, with an average gift rate of $138.06.

Raising more than $227,000, the cam-

lation – 2.9 billion people – surf the web.

In an internet minute, people send 200 million emails, perform 4.1 million Google searches, share 3.3 million Facebook items, send 433,000 tweets, download 195,000 apps and upload 100 hours of YouTube content.

What channels should marketers use to make their stories stand out? Print helps.

Today, marketers can customize print campaigns to create more interesting and richer pieces. Using paper and printing as a strategic design tool uniquely complements the digital experience.

“I continue to believe that in modern society, where so many experiences have

paign posted an ROI of $19.15 raised per dollar spent.

“With the physical nature of print, your target audience can literally hold your marketing material in their hands, feeling the paper and reading your message,” Coté says. “There is less competition in the mailbox versus inbox/social. Digital and print can work well together. It allows you to connect with your audience with a physical piece of marketing and create an opportunity for a deeper level of interaction and engagement.”

become digitized, the tactile nature of print and paper becomes more and more impactful,” says Drew Davies, founder and design director at Oxide Design Co. “The physical experience of print gives us something that can’t be replicated in the digital realm. I think as humans, we yearn for things that we can hold in our hands and truly interact with.”

For example, Oxide Design has seen a surge in popularity in local independent music shows, where the demand for promotional materials is rising. “You would think that, theoretically, these shows would be completely about the music.

But we continue to see a huge number of concertgoers drawn to promotional and commemorative items that define the ‘gig.’

People long for a tangible printed artifact to immortalize their experience.”

“I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT IN MODERN SOCIETY, WHERE SO MANY EXPERIENCES HAVE BECOME DIGITIZED, THE TACTILE NATURE OF PRINT AND PAPER BECOMES MORE AND MORE IMPACTFUL.” – DREW DAVIES Founder & Design Director, Oxide Design Co.

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DIGITALLY

J PRESS 720S PROVES TO BE THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR YORKE PRINTE SHOPPE

The very best digital solution.

That’s what the team at the Yorke Printe Shoppe wanted when they set out to add a digital printer to its impressive equipment portfolio.

The Chicago area print services provider was looking for a printer that could handle its profitable high-end, short to medium runs.

Working closely with design firms across a variety of verticals, Yorke is heavily involved in branding, highend identity, annual reports and books. The search was on.

During the exhaustive process, Brad Scull, owner of Yorke Printe Shoppe, asked his team to think about what would make them most excited when talking to a customer about new technology.

With a heavy emphasis on “what can it produce” and “what can you sell,” the overwhelming response was Fujifilm’s J Press 720S. But before he pulled the trigger on the purchase, Scull wanted his sales team to check out the J Press 720S for themselves, so he invited them to join him on a visit to Fujifilm’s Americas Technology Center. There, after running the J Press 720S through its paces by using Yorke’s own intricate print files, the decision was final – the J Press 720S would be the next investment in their future.

“In my opinion, it’s the very best digital solution,” says Scull, a second generation owner. “I feel strongly about that because we checked them all out.”

With a 29.5 inch x 20.9 inch sheet and an output of 2,700 sheets per hour, Fujifilm’s second generation sheetfed J Press 720S offers the quality and robustness of an offset press, and the versatility to handle even the shortest of press runs. The configuration at Yorke is capable of printing 60-pound text weight to 14 point board stocks, while other configurations are available to run heavier weight stocks, up to 24

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point board.

“The J Press 720S handles our shortrun work extremely well,” Scull says. “Our sales folks out in the marketplace will say, ‘Look at this output in comparison to what else is out there,’ with reference to a lot of other technology.”

With run lengths continuing to be shorter to meet its client needs, color consistency – a defining feature of the J Press 720S, was also key for Yorke. When Scull compared the quality of color consistency – and even the dot itself – on the J Press 720S with several other options, he could see it was “head and shoulders” above the rest.

“Being able to print today, a week from now, or even a month from now, the output

looks exactly the same,” he says. “Our clients no longer require press checks on this type of work, so it’s a time saver and creates efficiencies.”

Because creatives are used to designing around the inherent deficiencies of certain presses due to a size or quality constraint, Scull was anxious to let them know of the capabilities the J Press 720S offers.

EYE ON THE PRIZE Yorke has been keeping a close eye on digital technology for a long time, especially the high-end market, since that is its niche. With most of its clientele aspiring to achieve a high-end appearance on coated and uncoated stocks, the J Press 720S again hit the mark.

“Every toner device, whether it’s dry or liquid, piles – it sits on top of the sheet,” Scull says. “On the J Press 720S, it doesn’t. It looks as good or better than offset printing on uncoated stocks, delivering a look our clients love.”

“I’ve had some great mentors,” Scull says. “My dad was a phenomenal role model. “We worked together for 20 years.

He cared about people and did the right things. Many of our employees have been with us over 20 years and we continue to invest in young people as well. We take very seriously what we do here.” And that has been one of the defining marks of Yorke’s legacy.

The shop is a family affair, with Scull’s wife working the reception desk, assisting with the accounting and providing a set of hands when needed. Even their daughters help out in the fulfillment area. Scull admittedly doesn’t enjoy the luxuries of a corner office lined with windows. His desk is in the middle of the production area – and he would not have it any other way.

Scull says it’s all about the people. “I will not sacrifice people or relationships, and that applies to our customers, employees and vendors. This is what we do.

Let’s continue to try to do it better than anyone else.”

Brad Scull, owner, Yorke Printe Shoppe, alongside his J Press 720S, at their facility in Lombard, Ill.

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“THE PRINTER IS NOT GOING TO BE A MANUFACTURER, HE IS GOING TO BE A SERVICE PROVIDER

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AND THAT SERVICE WILL TAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMS, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PRINTER YOU ARE.”

– BARB PELLOW, GROUP DIRECTOR, KEYPOINT INTELLIGENCE/INFOTRENDS

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Imagine a 27-year-old job hunter walking into a brick and mortar print shop. He eyes a poster produced by the company, framed and hanging on a wall. There are brochures sitting on a table. He knows this company produces signs, and he is a programmer interested in creating signage. So, he has come to the right place.

Or has he?

“Printing businesses never expected to be hiring computer programmers, but computer programming is now part of production,” says Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center. “You are dealing with issues of personalization and geographic targeting and a whole database of output operations that requires planning that is beyond the imaging of mainstream printers.”

Webb says more printers are hiring from outside the industry. “Having industry experience was actually an impediment to their business,” he says, “especially in terms of marketing and sales.”

Speaking of sales, there is a serious slump going on. That’s why the welcome mat is out for new talent. Webb says shipments are down 5 1/2 percent over the last six months, while revenues are $85 billion, down almost half since 2000.

Webb outlines more transformation in the business in a new book he wrote with Richard Romano, senior analyst for WhatTheyThink.com, called “The Third Wave.”

Released in September, the book outlines how the cheaper communication costs and faster speeds experienced with digital media are disrupting the print industry.

So what else is new?

“When we ask who are the successful printers today, more and more come from the graphic design, publishing and advertising backgrounds, not printing backgrounds,” Webb says.

The job hunter coming through the door is not really into print. He’s into data analytics and supply chain logistics and advertising. “There are a lot of printers who have taken an agency mindset and applied it to their business,” Webb says. “They have opened up ad agencies and treated printing as a backroom operation.”

Webb likes to the tell story of a printer

who started to swim with the current instead of being swept away by it. The printer was installing digital displays for the Mall of America in Minneapolis. “It’s a good example of how the business is more data focused and the art of deployment in media communications,” he says.

DEFINING THE PRINTER’S NEW ROLE Barb Pellow, group director at Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends, says the print industry’s transformation has altered the nature of the job itself. Indeed, should we even call them “printers” in today’s environment?

“The printer is not going to be a manufacturer,” Pellow says, “He is going to be a

“WHEN WE ASK WHO ARE THE SUCCESSFUL PRINTERS TODAY, MORE AND MORE COME FROM THE GRAPHIC DESIGN, PUBLISHING AND ADVERTISING BACKGROUNDS, NOT PRINTING BACKGROUNDS.” – DR. JOE WEBB, DIRECTOR OF WHATTHEYTHINK’S ECONOMICS AND RESEARCH CENTER

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service provider and that service will take a lot of different forms, depending on the type of printer you are. The packaging printer will do short-run packaging and also help you manage your supply chain. If I am a commercial printer, I am going to migrate into your data-driven marketing. It’s going to evolve into that service-type model.

Offset will have a role to play, but digital will have a stronger and stronger role.”

Pellow says this year there will be 495 billion digital impressions. By 2020, the number will be 845 billion.

And here’s the thing: Inkjet will comprise 60 percent of those impressions. Clearly, there is room for printing, especially print that’s well done, timely and relevant. Even better if it’s personalized. And that’s where inkjet has the advantage.

But where are the opportunities?

Romano also points out that embellished printing, textile printing, 3D printing and anything printed via flatbed inkjet, such as metal, wood, plastic and other rigid media are on an upward arc.

So what are the biggest roadblocks for

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF PRINTERS So, what will be the backbone of the next generation of print shops? Our experts – Richard Romano, senior analyst, WhatTheyThink.com; Barb Pellow, group director, Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends; Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center – weigh in:

ROI on a piece of equipment sooner.

Programming – The digital shop is going to need someone to build an app, remotely change content for a digital sign, and create new channels for communication.

Automation – Five years from now, the print shop will have fewer people, fewer machines and fewer moving parts. More and more of the business will be automated.

Technology Hub – Remember when technology changed every couple of decades? Not anymore. The technology changes every three to five years. This means that the new print shop is going to have to get its

Video Production – Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends reports that the number of digital video viewers will climb to 2.5 billion. The printer of the future will offer useful tutorial videos online.

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Resource Center – Print clients are going to ask the printer to be more fluent in the purpose and strategy behind communications. “Why are we doing this?” The printer needs an answer.

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“printers” as they navigate the new normal?

“Most new digital technology is priced higher than most small and medium printers can afford,” Romano says. “We need more equipment alternatives at different price/ performance levels. Once companies get into newer technologies, they grow and then can afford the next level.”

Pellow says that the roadblock can often be in the one place where it can ruin a company: the boss himself. “The roadblock is the owner, who has to have the right vision,” she says.

“You have to have a guy who understands they have to be part of the communications infrastructure for their customer and learn how to do that. Once they have that vision in place, they can position the company properly.”

Sales forces must also get out of the mindset of selling transactional-oriented print, Pellow says. That’s not going to cut it anymore. “You have to have business savvy and acumen to understand your customer’s business. It’s vision, it’s getting the sales force right and building the right technology infrastructure. Those three things have to happen simultaneously.”

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THE SW WHY TRANSITIONING TO FUJIFILM’S FLENEX WATER-WASH PLATE TECHNOLOGY IS PAYING BIG DIVIDENDS FOR TODAY’S PRINTERS Fujifilm recently invited users of its Flenex FW Water-Washable Flexo Plates to define how switching to the new platemaking technology impacted their businesses.

WITH FLENEX, HERE’S WHAT YOU GET: ❱❱ Total platemaking process time under 40 minutes ❱❱ Highest flexo quality (200 lpi, 1 percent flat top process dot) ❱❱ More output per shift for class-leading productivity ❱❱ Eliminates costs attributed to solvent and thermal technology ❱❱ Compatible with existing water-wash equipment THE PRINT SOURCE INC. Wichita, Kan. The Print Source, a family owned and operated, full service printing and graphics company, has grown from three employees to more than 100 full-time staff. The Lungwitz family, which has held ownership since 1982, offers a variety of printing methods to help accommodate a wide range of products.

“Flenex FW has cut the time needed to process plates dramatically – the water-wash process is considerably more user friendly,” says Joseph Helms, Production Manager.

“The quality and longevity of the plates is well beyond our previous system. Combined with the C-TOUCH processor, we have virtually eliminated plate waste during processing and cut press downtime in half when a new plate is made.”

WHY THEY CHOSE FLENEX FW WATER-WASHABLE FLEXO PLATES: ❱ Reduce the time it takes to make plates ❱ Improve print quality capability ❱ Reduce the total cost-in-use of plates ❱ 25 percent to 50 percent faster than their previous plate-making system ❱ More than a 25 percent cost savings

ARIZONA LABEL & PACKAGING Phoenix, Ariz.

The team at Arizona Label & Packaging is committed to providing their customers with the finest custom printed labels, barcode labels, product labels and more throughout the Southwestern United States. And to do that, they need the best equipment and solutions they can get their hands on.

So, even though owner Kyle Norris’ production team was very skeptical going back to a water-wash plate from a thermal plate, they decided to give Flenex a chance.

“After making some minor handling adjustments, they were quite pleased with the improved print quality,” Norris says. “And the cost savings is a big bonus.”

WHY THEY CHOSE FLENEX FW WATER-WASHABLE FLEXO PLATES: ❱ Improve print quality capability ❱ Reduce the total cost-in-use of plates ❱ Up to 10 percent faster compared to its previous plate-making system ❱ More than a 25 percent savings

LABELTEK INC. Aurora, Ill. The LabelTek team specializes in high quality flexographic printing and laminating for clients in the food, medical, industrial, chemical and retail industries.

In its move to water-wash plate technology, the company looked at a number of op-

tions. When it came down to a side-by-side test with a competitor, Flenex won hands down, says Dean Hummell, president.

“Its four-color process capability was far superior, the color and dot hold are phenomenal,” Hummell says. “It’s a whole new form of printing.”

WHY THEY CHOSE FLENEX FW WATER-WASHABLE FLEXO PLATES: ❱ Improve print quality capability ❱ Reduce the time it takes to make plates ❱ Ability to reduce or eliminate need for duplicate plates

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WITCH PHOENIX COLOR Hagerstown, Md. Drawing on a broad spectrum of materials and decorative technologies, Phoenix Color is a premier full-service, full-color printer with more than 30 years of superior print experience. The company produces memorable, value-added components, heavily-illustrated books and specialty commercial products.

Making the switch has enabled Prepress & Technology Manager Keith Keefer and his team to give their clients the bestof-the-best in book cover coatings, and

packaging and labels.

“The other water-wash options we’ve used don’t hold a candle to Flenex’s ability to hold a harder, crisper edge,” Keefer says.

“We’re consistently getting a 1 percent to 2 percent dot.”

WHY THEY CHOSE FLENEX FW WATER-WASHABLE FLEXO PLATES: ❱ Plate longevity ❱ Improve print quality capability ❱ Reduce the total cost-in-use of plates ❱ Ease of stacking and storing of plates

ROSS PRINTING Spokane, Wash.

Featuring a unique and diversified offering of litho, flexo and digital all in one location, the family managed and owned Ross Printing is celebrating its 100th year in business.

With a track record like that, making a move means going with a solution that is going to strengthen its standing among its loyal customer base. Flenex hit the mark.

“We’re enjoying significant cost savings while enjoying a consistent 1 percent dot for better print quality in vignettes and fourcolor process,” says GM Eric Smith.

WHY THEY CHOSE FLENEX FW WATER-WASHABLE FLEXO PLATES: ❱ Improve print quality capability ❱ Reduce the total cost-in-use of plates ❱ Lower cost of ownership ❱ 10 percent to 25 percent faster than its previous plate-making system ❱ More than 45 percent savings

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IMPROVED PROFITS

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MATERIAL SAVING

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LABOR SAVING

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ENERGY SAVING

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REDUC EMISSIO

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CED ONS

SUPERIA ZD OPTIMIZED FOR IMPROVED RUN LENGTH, ESPECIALLY IN UV INK APPLICATIONS

UV DURABILITY. That was one of the driving factors behind the development of SUPERIA ZD. The offset plate technology is a new addition to Fujifilm’s processless plate commercial portfolio. The technology falls within the complete range of SUPERIA offset plates, pressroom and SUPERIA plate-making solutions.

As a true no-process thermal plate, SUPERIA ZD is an environmentally friendly option, featuring no effluent to dispose of, and no additional consumables with which to contend.

The SUPERIA ZD advantage offers a number of benefits for today’s printers. The technology is maximized with FUJIFILM HUNT premium fountain solutions and includes SUPERIA PressMax JRDC-AB, which is compatible with UV/LED-UV/H-UV or conventional inks. And along with the single-step SUPERIA PressMax PPF-DC – a versatile fountain solution with calcium control additive – it’s suitable for UV/LED-UV/H-UV or conventional inks. ​ “SUPERIA ZD provides superior performance when printing under UV ink conditions, and also allows for improved run length in non-UV ink environments,” says Jim Crawford, director, consumable sales, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division.

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WATER SAVING

SUPERIA ZD OFFERS ❱❱ Improved durability for longer run length capability on press that enables the plate to be used in a wider range of press applications, including UV print applications ❱❱ True processless technology that enables the plate to be imaged and mounted directly on press, for immediate use ❱❱ No ablation

E LONG RUN

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OPTIMISM. THAT IS THE PREVAILING SENTIMENT GARNERED FROM A RECENT SURVEY FUJIFILM SPONSORED OF 126 PRINT SHOPS RANGING IN SIZE FROM 10 TO MORE THAN 100 EMPLOYEES. ALONG WITH AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK OF THE FUTURE, A MAJORITY OF THE SURVEYED PRINTERS ARE LOOKING TO INVEST IN NEW SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES. OUR TAKE: THE IDEA THAT PRINTERS MUST REVAMP THEIR OFFERINGS WITH DIGITAL AND SPECIALTY PRINTING INVESTMENTS IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE CHANGE. WHAT FOLLOWS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE REPORT, WHICH INCLUDES A COLLECTIVE LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES FACING TODAY’S PRINTERS. “WE NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE OUR PRINT OFFERINGS. WE CAN EXECUTE ON SPECIALTY DIGITAL, VARNISHES AND FOILS. INKJET VARIABLE DATA IS CRITICAL AND WE MUST HAVE MAILING AND MARKETING STRATEGIES.“

1. What is your perspective on the commercial printing business for the next three years? (choose all that apply) PRINTERS WILL PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY

DIMINISHED ROLE OVERALL BUT SPECIALTY PRINT (I.E., WIDE FORMAT, DIGITAL) WILL BE CRITICAL

39.1% 35.9% SIGNIFICANT MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

PRINTERS MUST REINVENT

BY ADDING CAPABILITIES AND SERVICES

34.4% 65.6%

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2. What are the biggest challenges facing our industry moving forward?

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OO MANY ALTERNATIVES T TO PRINT LACK OF HUMAN CONTACT WITH BUYERS LACK OF EXPERIENCED PRINT BUYERS AGING WORKFORCE LACK OF MARKETING PLAN TOO MUCH EQUIPMENT/ CAPACITY IN THE INDUSTRY 3. What are your top priorities over the next three years?

4. Where is your company making investments?

DIGITAL PRINTING MARKETING

1 Add new services 2 Reinvest in the printing business 3 Cut costs 4 Partner with others 5 Exit the business

SAYS

NEW SERVICES (e.g. data, storefront, design, fulfillment)

SPECIALTY PRINTING (e.g. wide format)

SALES TEAM OPERATING SYSTEMS (e.g. workflow software)

OTHER

69.5 59.4 53.1 52.3 38.3 30.5 7.8

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POWERFUL. FLEXIBLE. DURABLE.

Those are just a few of the adjectives that can be used to describe the new SpyderX UV flatbed inkjet press from Inca Digital. The SpyderX flatbed and roll-to-roll press is capable of producing a wide variety of outputs for today’s print service provider.

Using the Fujifilm Uvijet XS ink system developed specifically for the SpyderX, the new generation mid-range inkjet printer can deliver high-speed production up to 2,476 square feet per

hour (230 square meters per hour) with pinpoint accuracy.

Designed and manufactured by Inca Digital, the SpyderX platform incorporates state-of-the-art technology, including FUJIFILM Dimatix printheads. The robust 126-inch (3.2 m) wide, six-color plus optional White SpyderX is available as either a flatbed or a combination flatbed/roll-fed model, and for handling rigid and flexible substrates, which include PVC sheets, foam board, corrugated, polystyrene, window cling, wallpaper and banner material.

THE INCA SPYDERX UV PRESS OFFERS THE ULTIMATE IN ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE AND FLEXIBILITY.

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SPYDERX FEATURES ❱❱ High quality flatbed output up to 1,981 square feet an hour ❱❱ High speed roll output up to 2,476 square feet an hour ❱❱ iNozzle (nozzle) mapping technology ❱❱ Unique Print-a-Shim technology for consistent quality across the entire area of the print bed ❱❱ Remote diagnostics software with IncaVision ❱❱ Versatility of the Fujifilm Uvijet XS ink series

And that’s not all. SpyderX includes light inks (Light Cyan and Light Magenta) in the standard channel configuration, allowing for finished prints with smooth tones and gradients while still printing at remarkable speeds.

The optional White ink channels on SpyderX allow for printing on clear and dark substrates, as well as layered print-

ing over or under an image, or it can be used as a spot color. And with Inca software, multi-layer images can easily be built within the printer’s user interface, maximizing throughput on even the highest quality specialty graphics.

Since 2001, Inca Digital and Fujifilm have collaborated to bring best-in-class solutions to the sign and display market, with Fujifilm being the exclusive North American distributor.

“This press is ideal for PSPs that

require versatility and speed, while looking to upgrade from legacy printers to experience the benefits of a high-end inkjet platform,” says Becky McConnell, product manager, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division.

DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BY INCA DIGITAL, THE SPYDERX PLATFORM INCORPORATES STATE-OFTHE-ART TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING FUJIFILM DIMATIX PRINTHEADS, AND FUJIFILM UVIJET INK. print illustrated ❘ FALL 2017 ❘ 19

INNOVATING OUT OF CRISIS An inside look at how Shigetaka Komori helped steer Fujifilm through an industry disruption that nearly left the brand in its wake Shigetaka Komori saw the road ahead. He knew what was coming. The transformation, he warned, would be profound.

In his book – “Innovating Out of Crisis: How Fujifilm Survived (and Thrived) As Its Core Business Was Vanishing” – Komori provides an introspective recount of the strategies and leadership he implemented during Fujifilm’s journey through the collapse of the photographic-products industry.

As chairman and CEO, he was tasked with leading Fujifilm’s renaissance in a new digital age and the transition from film to digital was happening fast.

In the first chapter, Komori recounts watching the transition with trepidation. “It would disrupt our industry in the way that word processing disrupted typewriting, music CDs displaced records and email dispatched the handwritten letter. Growing and accelerating like a snowball swelling to an avalanche, it was aimed right at us. In fact, our name put “THE WHOLE OF FUJIFILM WAS DEPENDING us in the cross hairs. The transformation was ON MY MANAGERIAL SKILLS TO MAKE IT digital photography, and we were Fujifilm.”

HAPPEN. I WAS GRIPPED BY A STRONG “Innovating Out of Crisis” recounts how, as recently as 2000, photographic products SENSE OF MISSION. ‘MAYBE I WAS BROUGHT made up 60 percent of Fujifilm’s sales and INTO THIS WORLD TO OVERCOME THIS two–thirds of its profit. Within a decade, the CRISIS,’ I THOUGHT AT THE TIME.” digital transformation disrupted the business model.

– SHIGETAKA KOMORI, In the book, Komori shares how he Chairman & CEO, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation delivered Fujifilm from the brink of collapse by engineering its groundbreaking organizational innovation and product diversification.

Utilizing Fujifilm’s strong management resources, first-rate technology, reputable brand and a diverse workforce, Komori set the wheels of its regeneration into motion.

“The whole of Fujifilm was depending on my managerial skills to make it happen,” says Komori, who today is Chairman and CEO of FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation. “I was gripped by a strong sense of mission. ‘Maybe I was brought into this world to overcome this crisis,’ I thought at the time. The hair stood up on the back of my neck.”

His vision paid off. Today, it is a thriving global enterprise with business interests in a diversified array of industries from document solutions to healthcare products and services.

Innovating Out of Crisis: If you’re looking for inspiration and guidance to help How Fujifilm Survived set your course in today’s ever-changing print land(and Thrived) As Its Core scape, Innovating Out of Crisis just might be your Business Was Vanishing perfect playbook.

By Shigetaka Komori

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IT’S NOT A MYTH. Flenex FW offers the highest quality and fastest speeds.

Only the world leader in printing plates could bring you water-washable flexo plates you truly have to see to believe. With a total processing time of less than 40 minutes, Flenex FW from Fujifilm offer the fastest platemaking process in the industry – and they do it with unmatched print quality.

With exclusive Fujifilm water-washable chemistry, Flenex FW plates provide improved ink transfer capability and greater durability than other leading plates.

That means faster job turnaround, maximized press time and lower labor costs.

And with a one percent flat dot structure that consistently produces 200 lpi at 4,400 dpi with brighter, cleaner print results, your next choice in flexo plates should be clear.

To learn more visit FujifilmPackagingInsights.com